Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-26
THIRSTY TIMES.
FoR oxcg NEW YoRKEss SEE THE
Law EsFoRcED.
Saloons Closed hotels Invaded ~ On
cers- One Of Delmonico's Walters
in q Dungeon.
Now YORK Timeal

Certain privileged members OF the
Metropolitan police force OF this sud
denly-grown-y irtuous town had glo-
rious time yesterday IN the matter OF
free drinks. They were about the only
class of men who seemed to experience
no difficulty in drawing from the
hidden white-robed bars that va
ricty of beverage which maketh
the heart diversely glad, and which
makes weak flesh afterward pay
the piper. Bars and their wealth OF
golden fluid were upon the defensive
all over the town, but their seductive
influences were not absolutely withheld
from the seeking public. Active and
thirsty police officers gathered into
their excise-net the goodly number of
1872 unfortunate gentlemen who had
allowed their innate generosity OF heart
to get the better of their sound COM
mon sense.
Due notice was given by Superin-
tendent Murray on Saturday that the
excise law would be enforced to the last
ominous sound in the last letter of the
statute on the following day, and the
incautious vender of intOxicants who
persisted in keeping his side-door open
did it in the full knowledge of the
probable consequences. He knew that
MAYOR Hewitt had expressed himself
as meaning business in his effort to
enforce the law, and he knew that ex-
traordinary efforts would be made by
the police to carry out the mayors or
ders.
Early in the day policemen in citi-
zens clothes began their work Of tip
ping in the name of and for the benefit
Of the law. In order that "no favors
might be shown" officers attached to
up town precincts were transferred to
those down town, and Uice-Uersd, and
the members of the Steamboat Squad,
ordinarily off duty on Sunday, were
pressed into the glorious work. These
vigilant persons seemed tireless in their
efforts to reap q heavy harvest of law
breakers, and it was positively wonder
full how sober they all were last night.
That there may be no doubt about the
crime, the officer drinks the criminals
liquor before he arrests the criminal,
and in some instances the conscientious
policemen found that only by drinking
two glasses of whiskey could they be
made absolutely sure that they had
struck the right men.
Absolute lack of discrimination
marked the days WORK. The sacred
precincts of Delmonico's, of the Bruins
wick, and of other hotels were invaded
with as much nonchalance as the quiet
peacefulness of the Mulbery-street
| dive was disturbed. Wherever the Off
Ger could get a drink, there he went.
They started out early, AID before
noon the city-or that part OF
it which owns and operates bars
had gotten slightly scared. Key-hole
vigilance was redoubled, but the Off
Ger worked his way in through the side
door and nabbed the irresponsible bar
tender The dreadful combination
Whisky, policeman's shield, "Pm an
officer" you're my prisoner was
PLAYED from Harlem to the Battery,
| and the 1872 arrested saloon-men feel
that life has but few charms left for
them.
While the swell gentlemen who ena-
bic the swell walters at Delmonico's to
exist were taking theirs yesterday
morning plain, mixed, and in kaledo-
scopic forms Mr.. Genore, attached to
the Nineteenth precinct, sat himself
down at handicapped table in the
cafe, and with as much ease ashe had al
his command under the circumstances
ordered some Rhine wine. Mr.. Clement
Rentz, attached-yery much attached
to Delmonico's, brought it to him and
made out check for 20 cents. Mr..
Cenore with much apparent enjoy
ment disposed of the wine and then OF
the waiter. Delmonico's was out
ragged, but Mr.. Genore knew Rhine
wine was dangerous and highly
undesirable compound to dispose
of on the Sabbath, and at the JEFF
ferson-Market Police Court Mr.
Rentz, Notwithstanding his cOunsePs
vigorous assertion that Mr.. Delmonicc
| kept a hotel and had the right to sell
liquor to his guests, was required tc
give bail to appear for examination OF
| Wednesday, which he did. After thi;
interesting event had transpired the
other "guests" at Delmonico''
eschewed Rhine wine as an unhealthy
Sundaybevcrage and drank champagne
and brandy.
The other hotels invaded were the
Continental Hotel Royal, where OH
Ger Collins paid twenty-five cents fol
whiskoy the Brunswick, where the
swell Officer Genore paid forty cents
for the same thing; the Glenham
where Officer Shields was compelled to
drink two glasses of forty-cent wits
key before he made the arrest
and the New York Hotel. Al
the other large hotels, the Hoff
man, ST. James, Gilsey, Fifth
Avenue, Windsor-it was as hard fol
the unknown man to get drink as il
would be for tramp to drink cham
payne at his own expense. But happy
was the thirsty man who knew the bar
tender. That man could have pro
vided himself with a first class attack
OF the " trimmings" had he so desired
and have had the satisfaction of know
ing that lie bad evaded the excise law
in the bargain.
Probably the only place in the city
where the law was strictly enforced was
at the Sinclair House. At that place
Mr.. Ashman, tine proprietor, forbade
the selling of any kind of drink to hi
guests, and that guest who was accus
toned to claret with his dinner got
direfully left last night at the Sinclair.
The invasion of the hotels is looked
upon by hOtel-men as unlawful. Mr.
Cranston, of the New York Hotel said
lie considered that under the many
licenses he paid he had aperfect right
to sell any kind of liquor to his guests
on Sunday. The fact that man might
be in the hotel for no longer than hall
an hour made him, he thought, none
the less n guest.
The saloons up town were generally
tight closed during the latter part of the
afternoon and in the evening, and the